How-To Article Archive

Masking with Silly Putty

Free online extra

By Cookie Sewell

Painting the wavy, multicolored camouflage schemes common on armored vehicles can be a pain, but I recently discovered an inexpensive, easy-to-use masking substance: Silly Putty. Silly Putty? Yep, same stuff we played with as kids, pulling images of the Sunday comics off the paper and stretching them into goofy faces. Turns out it can be an armor modeler's best friend, at least when painting time rolls around.

Silly Putty has a number of great advantages for masking armor models....

I will be useing this idea on aircraft. I also read some where that it works great on masking canopys. I am just getting back into modeling after 30 years and this a great source for ideas.

Submitted: 2/14/2012 8:10:34 AM (CST)

KEITH FLYNN
said:

never thought about trying silly putty . i live in england can you tellme what is the english version of silly putty. great magazine i have been collecting it for about 18 years now . so you must be doing something right

Submitted: 12/29/2011 1:15:26 PM (CST)

STEVEN KUBIKfrom MASSACHUSETTS
said:

I've been using Silly Putty for years for masking, especially for the three tone camoflage. THe ony issue that I had with it was pressing too hard on PE - it would sometimes lift the PE off. Just don't press the putty down too hard on the etch and it works great.

Steve

Submitted: 12/14/2011 8:48:51 PM (CST)

M EDWARDSfrom SOUTH CAROLINA
said:

Im building Lindbergs Minesweeper in 1/125 scale (My Grandfather served on the Garland #238) an am using it to do the measure 32 camo scheme. Ive always tried the tape or hand-paint method before on my 1/350 collection and was not satisfied,...Had never thought of even trying this on ships, mostly seen it on aircraft,...but hey!! this works oh so good!